Agitator for storage bins



1 N. T. PUCKET'I' I 2,333,739

AGITATOR FOR STORAGEINS Filed March 24, 1941 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,2; 21 I 21 Q 3 2 2a 23 i 25 10 I 7 E I I l I ,I! I I e I 3 I I2 I I T I i I: l-

I I II i I I. I I 5 I II a 4k I l I l I I I I 3 [I I I/l6 i Ii I I IN ENTOR. 024 BY Nz'cli rm zim,

ATTORNEYJ Nov. 9, 1943. N. T. PUCKETT 2,333,739

AGITATOR FOR STORAGE Bins I Filed March 24, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 2 I .11 a I v 1a I 15 I Q VENTOR.

Mali T. fluclidl',

A TTORN E Y5 Nov. 9,1943. N. 'r. PUCKETT AGITATOR FOR STORAGE BINS Filed March 24, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 flllI-I i Me I H ({NVEIZZOR. %4%

ATTORNEY5 Patented Nov. 9, 1943 i ATENTL FICB i A II il s gw .1. 'AGITA'rQrtFoR STORAGE BINS f liickTLjl uckett, Indianapolis, ma. u Application March 24, 1941, Serial No 384,9il3' I The present invention relates to means "fo'rthe insuring of the downward movement ofmaterial stored or contained in hoppers" wherein the material contained insaidhoppers is adapted to be removed from the bottom thereof. a

In storage bins and particularlylarge storage bins used for storing material such as the bark as, very frequently,.when the arch isbrokenup,

the material has a tendency-to slidedownquickly and carry with it the man-. who isworkingin the bin. Ropes are tiedto themerr to prevent. their being engulfed in the material, butthere have beenoccasions where, through breakage; of the ropes, or, through other causes themen have become so deeply embedded in thejsliding material,

they aresmothered. n

that it has been impossible to extractthembemre My present invention relates; to means ,formechanically breaking up these arches thereby avoiding the dangerheretofore accompanying the breaking of the arches by the. means; of 'men working in thebins.

The present applicationisl'a continuation in part of my application filedApril 19, 1939, Seria1 No. 268,761, for Feeding storagebin.

For the'purpose of disclosing" theinventionl have illustrated certain embodiments thereofin the accompanying drawings, in which? f Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional viewof a hopper bin embodying my invention; 3

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 ofFig.1; 7 i Y Fig. 3 is a view of a modification of the structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2', showing means whereby the agitator may be swungto various parts of thebin; and r W l {I Fig. 4 is a plan view, somewhat ensmalled, of the device illustrated in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, the bin illustrated is one adaptedto contain fuel such as thebark'of paper logs, or thelike, for deliveryto a furnace and is preferably mountedwabovethe furnace which is generally-representedas atl. This-bin comprises'aplurality of sections? to -l,: which sections decrease in their size toward thetop and are suitably connected together by joints, 'as at 8. i There is thus provided'a bin which is larger at its-bottom than at its top. This-bin is supported uponsuitablel-beamsfl on the topof the furnace wall and is provided-on-one side with an inclined wall In inclined inwardly from the outer wall and toward-the'center of the bin} This wall is also supported on suitable -Ibealn's l I extending betweenthe two end walls of the hopper and braced by suitablebraces 12. The bottom proper of the hopper comprises a series of flights of-worm conveyors ISeXtending from therear to the front and adapted to deliver atthe front of'the bin into a suitable discharge opening under these circumstances, I extend-vertically into l the binin the structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 "a plurality of agitators taking the form of worms or spirals; Each of these worms orspir'alscomprises a plurality of sections I6 having the worm or. spiral flights 'xl'l' formed thereon :and so arranged as to have a tendency to lift the material upon the rotation of the worm. The various sections of each of the iagitators areconneoted together by suitableuniversal joints, asat is, so that the different sections may :swing relatively to one another inanyidirection, and the tops'ections of each of the agitators is connected bya universal joint l8 with adrivingspindle19pmvided at its top with a gear 20. Each of these gears 20 is adapted to mesh with a gear 2| on a horizontalshaft 22 driven by any suitable motive power, as byan electric motoror th like. By the abovearrangement, all of-the ag'it'atorsmay be simultaneously driven from this shaft 22 which is mountedin suitable brackets 23 supported on thetop of the bin. In order to take care of the weight of the agitators, each of the shafts or spindles IElis supported in a suitable bearing 24 carriedonasuitable frame 25. r i r i Due to the fact that the lower ends of these agitators are perfectly free and due to the fact thateach of the agitators is supported from a universal joint 18, the agitators can swing back M. These screw conveyors may all bedriven simultaneously and forth across the material. When the agitators are rotated to break up an arch, the material sliding down in the bin will in no way tend to bend the agitators. Due to their flexible connection [8 with the shaft and also due to the flexible joints in the length thereof, these agitators may be readily deflected from the true vertical without in any way injuring the agitators themeselves.

In thestructure illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, I have shown, an arrangement whereby, if desired, a single agitator may be used in the place of the plurality shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In this struc-v ture, the single agitator 25, which is of the same construction as that illustrated in Figs. 1 and: 2.

is connected by a universal joint 26 with a ver.

tical spindle 21 driven from electric motor drive 28 mounted on a carriage 29. ,This carriage movable upon a horizontal track member .30 supported from a boom 3| mounted at one corner of the. bin. This boom is freely rotatable and, therefore, the ar -rn or track 30 may be swung across the -bin. Also due to the fact that the carriage 29 is movable back and forth on the bin through suitable manipulating chains 32 .and 33, the agitator may be swung to operate inmost any partof the bin. I have found this arrangement rt u adv nt eou becau e. by swingi g the agitator and moving, the carriage so that the agitator will move transversely of the mass of material, the agitator notonly has a tendency; to lift the mass ofmaterial tothus break the arch therein, but also has a tendency .to cut through the mass of material, thereby additionally assisting in thebreaking up of the arc g.

It is obvious thahdi fi to the universal-joint 26 at the top anddueto'the universal ioints'be tween the se ctions,,the top end of the agitator may be swung to various positions without in anyway tendinggto bend the agitator proper.

Theworm, as illustrated in Fig. ,3, is adapted to project, as at 34, beyond the shaft proper.

.By this arrangement, anvtendency of the material in. the bin ,to packand form more or 'less of a bearing, for the lower end of the agitator, is prevented. Thisproiecting end of thewormwill tend to break up the material. atthis point so that the. agitator. will be freeto. ;swing,. at all times,, in any moved. I 1 M.

Having thus described my zinvention what I claim as newis:

1. In combination. storage bin having a bottom delivery and adapted to contain alarge mass of material having a tendencylto arch as the material is delivered from the bottom. of the. bin, and means for breaking the arched material comprising a helical screw element supported abovethe top of the .bin and extending normally vertically downwardly into the material. of the bin with its lower end free, a driving shaft for rotating said screw in a direction to lift the material in the bin, and a universal connection between said shaft and saidscrew, said screw, due to its universal, connection with the shafts and due to the lifting action thereof .upon the material, being swingable at an angle to itsnor- Inal vertical line. v, r

' 2. IncOmbinatiOn, a storage bin having a botdirection to which it may be tom and a delivery opening at its bottom,.means for feeding the material contained in said bin toward the delivery opening, said ,;bin being adapted tocontain a large mass of material having a tendency to arch as thematerial .isfremoved from beneath the same bysaid feeding means, means for breaking the arches in said material occasioned by said feed comprising a helical screw element supported above the top of the bin and extending normally vertically downwardly into the material in the bin, the lower end of said element being free, a driving shaft for rotating said screw element in a direction to lift said material in the bin and a universal connection between said shaft-and said screw, perh'iittingsaid screw to shift from a vertieal line as the result of the shifting of the material in the bin when the arched material in the bin is broken by the lifting action of the screw.

.3. The .ccn'nbination with a storage bin havinga discharge opening at its bottom and adapt- '"ed to contain a large mass of material having a tendencytoarch, of an agitator therefor com-' prising a plurality of shaft sections swingably connected to one another and each provided with substantially radially disposed spirally arranged proiectionssupported abovevsaid bin, and ex tending downwardly into said bin and "into, the material thereof, sa-idagitator being swingably and rotatably supnorted at itsupper endand having its lower end free.

4. The combination with a storage bin having a discharge opening at its lower. endiniapted to containajlarge'mass iOf material having a tendency to arcnof an agitator therefor com-,

prising aplurality of sections of worm shafts swingably connectedtogether; and swingab-ly, and rotatably supported at its-upper end above the t op .of said bin and projecting downwardly; into the bin; and into the material thereof, the lower end of .S id agitatorv being free, and means for rotating said -;agitator in a. direction tov cause said worxnto lift :thematerialof. the bin. 1

.-,5.,.'Ihe.combination, with .a storage bin hav- .ing.-a=discharge opening and .adaptedto contain a large mass .ofmaterial having a tendency. to -arch at its. bottom, of anagitator-therefor verticallydisposed therein rotatably and swingably supported. atits upper end and having its lower end. free, and comprising a. plurality of jointed sections, each-section being provided with a substantially radially disposed projection. 3 6. The-combination with "a storage bin new ing a delivery opening at its bottom and-adapted "to contain alarg'e mass of material having a tendency to arch, or an 1 agitator therefor :com prising a. worm shaft swingably-and rotatably supported-at its upper end with its lowerten'd free, the worm of said. shaft at its lower end being adapted toproject beyond theend of the shaft. I

'1. The combination with a storage binfhav ing a discharge opening at its lower end and adapted 'to cohtain'fa'la rge mass. of material having a tendency to arch, "of an agitator there -ly into said bin comprising a. worm-shaft,asupport for said agitator mounted above fsaidrbin and movable laterallwand transversely across the top of said bin, B'Shflffi carriedzbysaid sup- ;port; and ianuniversal; connection between shaft having a universal coupling with said driving. shaft and extending downwardly into the material of said bin with itslower end free, said universal coupling permitting the worm shaft to extend at an angle to the vertical through the material and said free lower end of the Worm shaft, permitting the worm shaft to assume a vertical position as the shaft is rotated to cut through the material of the bin.

NICK T. PUCKETT. 

